1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of portable collapsible shelters, and is more specifically directed to a flexible walled tent having an internal rigid support structure which is easily disassembled and packed into a compact package.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several tepee tents have been previously marketed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,842,145 describes a tepee tent which uses a large number of tent poles, which detracts from its portability and collapsibility. Another type of a tepee tent is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,879,780, which uses collapsible tent poles. However, the number of poles is excessive and contributes to a weight not readily appreciated by a camper. Another type of a tepee tent is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,880, which also uses a large number of poles which are collapsible but still contribute to excessive weight in its dismantled condition.
Another tent structure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,261, which uses a reduced number of tent poles which are subjected to spring members to provide a taut appearance to the tent cover. The use of springs to provide a taut appearance has the disadvantage of being lost or broken.